Speeding down the side of a mountain on a set of skis has long since been a favorite pastime – by all ages. Whether in North America, Europe, or possibly another mountainous climate, people from all over the world have been mastering their downhill skills. But despite how popular skiing may be in today’s standards, it still has a specific set of origins. Whether it was created as a sport or an act of survival, balancing on skis has a great deal of history behind it.

This history, however, is being actively pursued by an organization known as the International Skiing History Association. Hosting 700 members in 14 different countries, the group works to document important ski history, such as timelines, events, stats, and to help get that info into museums. The organization is also meeting with former notable skiers to get their stories, many of whom had been documenting individually.

As far as the sport itself, where it came from, or even how old versions of the sport actually are, are all facts that are disputed. Modern skiing is shown to be little more than a century and a half old, while ancient hieroglyphics have been found depicting varied forms of skiing. Historians argue whether or not this is accurate, and if the intended act (skiing or not) can actually be proven.

While skiing’s history has yet to be determined, there is an active effort to work toward pinning these events down. Hopefully, through added research, these timelines and events can be proven and documented, giving the world an accurate representation as to how this beloved sport came to be.

For more information on skiing or where to pick up your gear, head to JANS.com.